Great ph info chart.

[rob7233]

Originally Posted by Keith

I think I remember reading the ph of rainwater is typically 5-6. In some areas lower than that. I believe this explains why you can water a lawn with an inch of groundwater and it looks nowhere as good as what an inch of rain will do.

The reason that a lawn irrigated with rainwater looks better after verses tap or groundwater is that Nitrogen is very mobile and changes form readily from a gaseous state to being very water soluble being carried by rainwater. A good rain always contains Nitrogen(N) which is taken up by the lawn's root zone. I'm not sure how much but that's likely one reason any given lawn looks better after a good rain. Additionally, I also recall vaugely something about ion exchange with rainwater but can't remember anything else regarding that.

Also that with soil testing, N is not measured since it's so mobile.



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[rob7233]

Originally Posted by turfmd101

Wonder if the range ever fluctuates in rain water. Since optimum pesticide molecule performance is reliant on a specific water ph. Could this be ill effective.
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Now there's an idea for study and an application for a Governmental Grant!!


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[turfmd101]

Thank you. I put up the chart because I have read some posts about ph in turf being 5-6.5 and they seemed to be focusing on,that must be their main problem . Hoping to get them focused elsewhere. Helps to know it's not a issue. The more things I know it's not.The easier it is to remedy. I just feel some techs go there to quick sometimes. I don't feel its very problematic. Poet you really feel rain apps or rain right after a fresh app is applied is not frequently happening. Come on man. You know the drill. Production - production. By the way probably not good to admit to certain ears but when I was in sales. I focused more on my customers results than margins. My blood runs Green but but it's not tainted with $ greed.
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[Ric]

Originally Posted by turfmd101

Wonder if the range ever fluctuates in rain water. Since optimum pesticide molecule performance is reliant on a specific water ph. Could this be ill effective.
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The proper notation is Small p with a capital H. The capital H stands for the element of Hydrogen and the small p is a math notation for inverse change.

What is pH?? It is the measurement of the acidic or alkalinity of a SOLUTION by the measurement of the inverse logarithm of the Hydrogen ion. Because it is the INVERSE LOGARITHM of the Hydrogen Ion the larger the pH value the Less Hydrogen ions and of course the lower the pH value the more Hydrogen Ions. A pH of 6 will have 10 time the number Hydrogen Ions as a pH of 7.

A simple $ 19.00 pH meter and pH up (Phosphoric acid) and pH Down (Bicarb) solves any problems of pH effecting the efficacy of a pesticide.

BTW most Whole Milk is 6.5 pH and can be used as a calibration for a pH meter.

pH reading of soil done in professional labs can vary greatly on the same sample. Since pH is the Measurement of Hydrogen Ions in a solution a solution must be added to the soil. Which MOLE SOLUTION is used will effect the number of hydrogen ions released in that sample. Therefore always use the same lab or same method and Mole solution when comparing soil sample history.

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[turfmd101]

I had that coming! Look I'm no genius, but that's more science that I'll ever use. When I see St. Aug growing 3 ft or more. Or when I see stolins 4ft out into a lake, roots swimming below. Funny thing is its very much alive.
Its doesn't have great color, but it looks very healthy. This turfgrass is tuff real tuff. Ph is almost never the bandit or the main culprit. He's number 2 or 3 side kick. If someone has to us alot of that data science to diagnose something hard to correct. Start with your root system. If its incapable of proper uptake. Whats an application worth?
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[jvanvliet]

Originally Posted by Ric

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pH is only one measure of water quality, Hardest and Bio carbons can have a much greater effect on Turf Grass than the pH of water. Some Golf Course will actually inject sulfuric acid into the Irrigation water because it is cheap and easy to do. Acid forming Fertilizer will help lower pH as will Sulfur. Dolomite etc will Raise pH etc However to change EC is a much harder and expensive to do. Bio Carbons will effect surface tension and Hydraulic conductivity. High EC (Electric Conductivity) or Measurement of soluble salts in a solution, will fill exchange sites and cause Fertilizer or pesticide leaching. Therefore pH of water is the least of our problems.

Basically the pH chart given only tells us what pH range most all element are available in the greatest quantity. Once we know 6.5 is approx that magic point on the pH scale, the chart above is really of no use.

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But it's purdy...

[Landscape Poet]

Originally Posted by turfmd101

. Poet you really feel rain apps or rain right after a fresh app is applied is not frequently happening. Come on man. You know the drill. Production - production.
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No I live in reality. I have seen some companies apply during a rain with rain suit on. What they were applying I have no idea. I seen it yesterday as well while it was storming.

[jvanvliet]

I wonder if you should put soap on the lawns during rain

[Landscape Poet]

Originally Posted by jvanvliet

I wonder if you should put soap on the lawns during rain

As long as you apply Jet Dry too so that you do not leave streaks

[greendoctor]

I would kill to have soil with a pH range of 5-6.5. Based on the colored chart you put up, most of the essential elements are available. Problem is when pH in the irrigation water is above 7 and the soil pH is also above 7. Most warm season grasses with the exception of centipede grass and bahia grass are not that picky about being above 6.5. It does get hairy if you are expecting ornamentals to do well.

I hate to see applications done right before a 1" per hour rainstorm. No call for it in my area. Those only happen but a few times a year. There are many days where it is not going to rain like that at no more than 20" per year annual rainfall.